Music industry veteran and Grand Hustle general manager Dina Marto sat down with host Neima Abdulahi for episode 12 of The Appeal Unfiltered to talk about the longevity of her run in the music industry, the power of social media, and what it means to be a woman in the game.

“It’s been a long journey and nothing happens overnight,” Dina explains that she has now spent over 20 years in the music industry, and has a lot more that she wishes to accomplish. Initially, Dina wanted to be a singer and songwriter. Her career took a different route when she developed a passion for artist development. At the beginning of her career, she met LA Reid and began working for Island Def Jam at 21 years old. Since then she has built many meaningful relationships with the likes of T.I, Gucci Mane, and more.

“The first 10 years of my career there was no social media.” As a result, Dina built her brand off of hard work, tenacity, resilience, and paying her dues. Dina now likes to use social media to show the behind the scenes of the grind and not solely the glitz and glamour: “Social media only shows you the highlights, and people show you what they want you to see.”

Dina then touches upon her experiences as a woman in this music industry. She strongly believes that women in the music industry provide the “secret sauce.” This involves their nurturing ability and unique perspective.

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